The Western Producer takes a weekly look at some of the stories that made headlines in issues of the paper from 75, 50, 25 and 10 years ago.
75 years ago: June 11, 1942
CCF member of Parliament P.E. Wright from Melfort, Sask., urged the government to establish a livestock marketing board to handle the marketing of all livestock products in Canada. Agriculture Minister James Gardiner said such a system would increase costs for producers.
The Dominion Bureau of Statistics reported that living costs for farm families had increased 19.4 percent from pre-war levels.
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50 years ago: June 15, 1967
Canada signed a protocol extending the administrative articles of the 1962 International Wheat Agreement until July 31, 1968, with provisions for earlier termination if a new agreement came into effect before that date. Trade Minister Robert Winters said the action was recommended in April by member governments of the International Wheat Council.
The Canadian Federation of Agriculture, concerned about MPs’ increasing workload, asked the government to make more research staff available to MPs and committees to help them keep abreast of developments.
25 years ago: June 11, 1992
United Grain Growers started the ball rolling on taking the co-operative public. Delegates to the UGG’s 1992 annual meeting were to be asked to approve selling shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange to raise money to improve grain handling facilities.
The 1991 census of agriculture reported more commercial farmers, increased acres under cultivation, an increase in the livestock herd and more acreage dedicated to special crops.
“I guess the surprise for some people might be that despite the hard times of the last few years, there is an underlying and maybe even a growing strength in the sector,” said Mel Jones, director of the agriculture sector.
10 years ago: June 14, 2007
Per capita beef consumption increased 2.2 percent in 2005 and total beef disappearance in 2006 increased by 30,000 tonnes to 1.035 million tonnes. “This is the highest in 30 years,” said Glenn Brand, head of the Beef Information Centre.
An infestation of 164 rats was found in a stack of straw bales near Sibbald, Alta., during a spring inspection of the 30-kilometre-wide rat control zone west of the Saskatchewan border.
Eighteen government staff and pest control officers surrounded the stack, shook the bales with a tractor and shot the rats as they tried to escape.
